Quick Tips On Vermicomposting

• Vermicomposting means worm composting where worms eat up the food and produce manure.
  In other words, vermicompost is actually worm manure.
• Vermicompost is also called castings.
• Vermiculture is worm farming for the production of worms.
• The worms used for composting are the ones used as fish baits, namely Eisenia foetida and Lumbricus rubellis or otherwise known as either red worms, red wigglers, tiger worms, brandling worms or manure worms.
• Worm castings are valuable nutrient-rich fertilizer for the soil.
• The nutrient content of castings would depend on the materials that the worms feed on.
• The worms will feed on paper, hair, fruit and vegetable waste (e.g. peels), egg shells, shrimp shells, grains (e.g. pasta), coffee grounds, ground yard wastes and manure. Avoid fish scraps, fats, meat, butter and other greasy foods because of the smell generated during breakdown. Do not feed salty foods, such as salted peanuts or potato chips. Avoid animal manure and limit citrus wastes because they contain a chemical compound called limonene which is toxic to worms.
• About two thousand worms will eat 7 pounds of food each week.
• Worms have photosensitive skin and would prefer a dark environment.

  

• To start vermicomposting, you’ll need :

  * A well ventilated vermicomposting bin so that these little guys can get their oxygen and air can be circulated. The bin should be set on wooden blocks or attach legs to the tub to increase air circulation at the bottom.

  * Wet (but not dripping wet) shredded or strips of newspapers are required to provide a moist bedding for them to live but don’t be surprised that the newspapers will also be eaten up also.

  * Since worms have no teeth, adding some garden soil into the bin will allow the worms to swallow and use in their gizzard to grind up the food. The soil will also provide bacteria, protozoa, and fungi to help the composting process. Cover the bin and leave it for a day before you add your feed.

  * Bury and disperse food scraps deep into the bedding to encourage the worms to roam around.

  *Feed the compost bin daily or weekly.

  * As the composting process advances, the food scraps and newspapers in the bin will turn into a dark brown matter and will no longer be recognizable.

  * Worm castings will be ready for use in about three to six months from the time the bin was started. To harvest the castings, push the compost to one side of bin and remove them out, then fill the other side with fresh bedding. Bury food into new bedding. Worms will find their way to the new food.

• You can use the worm compost can use it in a seed-starting mix, dress up the soil of potted plants or disperse it onto seed beds. Add 2 tablespoons od compost in 1 quart of water to create a fertilizer spray that won’t burn root systems.
• The worms in the bin will reproduce if the environment is condusive. After some months, you may find the worm population has increased.
• According to Miss Mary Appelhof, author of “Worms Eat My Garbage: How To Set Up And Maintain A Worm Composting System”, there will be no odors from the bin if you don’t overfeed - for a 16″ x 19″ x 12″ bin, the worms can eat two to three pounds of feed a week. For a larger bin that measures 20″ x 24″ x 12″, they can eat 5 pounds of feed a week.
• Some vermicomposting bins make harvesting really easy by self separating the compost from the worms.

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